EBOOK Observed Brain Dynamics

The biomedical sciences have recently undergone revolutionary change, due to the        ability to digitize and store large data sets. In neuroscience, the data sources        include measurements of neural activity measured using electrode arrays, EEG and        MEG, brain imaging data from PET, fMRI, and optical imaging methods. Analysis,        visualization, and management of these time series data sets is a growing field of        research that has become increasingly important both for experimentalists and        theorists interested in brain function. Written by investigators who have played an        important role in developing the subject and in its pedagogical exposition, the        current volume addresses the need for a textbook in this interdisciplinary area.The        book is written for a broad spectrum of readers ranging from physical scientists,        mathematicians, and statisticians wishing to educate themselves about neuroscience,        to biologists who would like to learn time series analysis methods in particular and        refresh their mathematical and statistical knowledge in general, through        self-pedagogy. It may also be used as a supplement for a quantitative course in        neurobiology or as a textbook for instruction on neural signal processing.The first        part of the book contains a set of essays meant to provide conceptual background        which are not technical and shall be generally accessible. Salient features include        the adoption of an active perspective of the nervous system, an emphasis on        function, and a brief survey of different theoretical accounts in neuroscience. The        second part is the longest in the book, and contains a refresher course in        mathematics and statistics leading up to time series analysis techniques. The third        part contains applications of data analysis techniques to the range of data sources        indicated above (also available as part of the Chronux data analysis platform from        http://chronux.org), and the fourth part contains special topics.